Anybody a french toast whiz?

[CatNurse22]

So I just attempted to make french toast for the first time (don't know why I got the urge a 2:30 in the afternoon, ) and it turned out pretty good! The flavor is right but the texture is FAR too soggy. I didn't really follow a recipe (just read a few online and made up my own) and the only bread I had in the house was pretty thin wheat bread. Not the best I know. The BF has been bugging me to learn to make french toast (he loves it and his always turns out...just wrong, lol) so I thought it might be sweet to bring him french toast in bed as a surprise.

Anyway, so my questions for all of the cooks out there are:

What kind of bread do you use?
How long do you soak the bread?
Any good recipe twists?

[LaRussa]

I am not a great cook by any means but I do make good French Toast. First of all you should use white bread (the thicker the better) Also you DO NOT SOAK the bread in the eggs, you just lay the bread slice in the beaten eggs and flip over once, then put it right into the hot pan. Just put enough egg on the bread to cover it but never leave it soak, that is why the FT was so soggy. Make sure you brown both sides until a golden brown, take out immediately and use your favorite butter and syrup. It's a good idea (for more flavor) to add cinnamon to the eggs and mixing it in before adding the bread.

[3CatsN1Dog]

I am a french toast expert..well not really but its my fav breakfast and I make it all the time. Its really really simple! I just use about 4 eggs I put them into a square glad dish thinger and then just add cinnamon and whisk it together. I like quite a bit of cinnamon in mine but I dont measure it I just shake till the whole top of the eggs are covered in it and then mix if it starts looking like a washed out cinnamon color then its good for me. DONT SOAK THE BREAD! I use regular old white bread but all I do is dip one side flip it and dip the other and go directly to the pan (make sure the pan is preheated). If you soak it the break absorbs the egg way to fast and then voila you have soggy french toast. If you just dip and flip it doesnt get soggy and still gets all the taste of french toast!

I know some people add vanilla (about a teaspoon) to the mix but I am not allowed to keep it in my house so I dont add any to it and it still taste great!

Good luck on your next batch

[rapunzel47]

I don't really have a recipe, but I can offer some thoughts:

Bread should be fairly robust, but still porous enough to take up the custard. I like a multi-grain. They tend to have the right balance, and offer a good flavour as well.

I use about 1 egg per slice of bread, depending on the size of the eggs and the particular bread -- how well it picks up the custard -- and not too much milk -- it should still feel like egg with milk in it, rather than milk with egg in it. If the custard is too thin, you get a soggy product.

I also add a little vanilla to the custard, and sprinkle some nutmeg on the bread after it's been dunked.

Don't allow the bread to soak. What I do is drop a slice into the custard, put a gob of butter on the hot griddle, flip the bread, sprinkle nutmeg, pick up bread and place on sizzling butter, nutmeg side down. Repeat with next slices. Then spoon a little more custard over the bread, until it won't soak in, and sprinkle that side with nutmeg. Flip when the underside is golden. Remove when second side is golden and the bread feels relatively firm.

Serve with butter and syrup and fresh fruit if it's available. Bon appetit!

Now I need to do French Toast. Haven't done it for a while.

[tierre0]

When I make french toast I will either use hand-cut bread from a whole loaf or a thick cut Texas toast.
Egg mixtures can be made a variety of ways depending on your taste.
A basic mixture that I use most is 4 eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Beat everything together. When soaking the bread you can do it one of two ways, just coating the surface or actually letting the bread absorb some of the mixture..
In a non-stick pan heat a light vegetable oil about 2 tablespoons when hot add french toast to pan and cook until brown. If you just coated the surface of the bread it will cook fairly quickly. If you left it in the egg for awhile you might want to cover the pan for a few minutes and cook at a slightly lower temp to make sure it is cooked right throw.

Plate it, sprinkle with icing sugar, and pour on some syrup....Yum

You can also use fruit flavored syrup like blueberry or cherry which is really Yummy.

[Misty8723]

My mother was the French Toast queen when I was a kid growing up. She made it by whisking eggs and adding cinnamon to them. And contrary to the advice given so far, she actually soaked the bread so it became mushy, and I absolutely loved it that way. In fact, I don't really care for it the way most people make it just getting the bread a little damp. So, I guess it's all a matter of taste. Now, of course, I'm very hungry for French Toast. I haven't made any in ages. Don't have any eggs, cinnamon, or bread in the house, so I guess I'm out of luck

[mbjerkness]

Originally Posted by tierre0

When I make french toast I will either use hand-cut bread from a whole loaf or a thick cut Texas toast.
Egg mixtures can be made a variety of ways depending on your taste.
A basic mixture that I use most is 4 eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Beat everything together. When soaking the bread you can do it one of two ways, just coating the surface or actually letting the bread absorb some of the mixture..
In a non-stick pan heat a light vegetable oil about 2 tablespoons when hot add french toast to pan and cook until brown. If you just coated the surface of the bread it will cook fairly quickly. If you left it in the egg for awhile you might want to cover the pan for a few minutes and cook at a slightly lower temp to make sure it is cooked right throw.

Plate it, sprinkle with icing sugar, and pour on some syrup....Yum

You can also use fruit flavored syrup like blueberry or cherry which is really Yummy.

I also add just a little pinch of nutmeg with the cinnamon

[CatNurse22]

Great advice guys! I tried the cinnamon and vanilla for this patch and I did like the taste.

I'll have to pick up some thick white bread and experiment with dipping vs. soaking.... I think many a meal of French Toast are imminent...

[mrblanche]

Dottie usually uses raisin bread to make French toast. It works best if it's a little stale.

As to her recipe, I honestly know nothing about it!

[catlover19]

I usually just use eggs and milk. I used to work in a cafe and they put a little bit of orange juice in theirs and it was always really good.

[laureen227]

a firmer bread will help the 'sogginess'. either slightly stale or just firmer in texture - like multigrain or flax breads are.
i make mine w/eggs, milk, vanilla & cinnamon in the soaking mixture. then saute in butter & sprinkle on powdered sugar.

[Dusty's Mom]

Grand Marnier French Toast

4 large eggs
¾ cup half and half
¼ cup Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur or frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ¾-inch-thick French bread slices
4 tablespoons(½ stick) butter
Powdered sugar
Warm maple syrup
Whisk first 6 ingredients to blend in medium bowl. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture and arrange in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour remaining egg mixture evenly over bread. Let stand until egg mixture is absorbed, at least 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 350°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 bread slices to skillet and sauté until cooked through and brown, about 3 minutes per side. Place on baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat cooking with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 4 bread slices. Transfer French toast to 4 plates. Sift powdered sugar over. Serve with maple syrup. Serves 4.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
French Toast

6-8 slices bread, cut into triangles (any bread, sweetbread, french bread, or plain white bread)
4 med eggs
2 tbsp milk (can sub. buttermilk or half-n-half)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter

Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon together until all is incorporated and small bubbles appear. Melt 2 tbsp butter in teflon pan on med heat. Dip 3 - 4 pieces of bread into egg, covering both sides, then place in pan. Brown both sides then set aside on papertowels to drain.
Add butter if pan becomes dry, and continue to brown pieces until done. Add 1 tbsp veg. oil if butter begins to burn.

Dust w/ powdered sugar, add a bit of syrup and you're golden.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baked French Toast Casserole W/ Praline topping

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

[I have made this without the corn syrup and less butter, and it turns out fine.]